Oxygen concentrator system

Abstract

An oxygen concentrator system including a pressure swing adsorption (PSA) system that executes a PSA cycle to produce an oxygen enriched gas, a gas outlet airline that flows the oxygen enriched gas to a user of the oxygen concentrator, a cannula that receives breathing gas from the user, and a sensor in communication with the cannula and the PSA system. The sensor senses a breathing cycle of the user. The breathing cycle includes an inhalation phase and an exhalation phase and the exhalation phase includes a non-useful period succeeded by a pre-inhalation period. Each respective breath is immediately preceded in the breathing cycle by a preceding breath and is immediately succeeded in the breathing cycle by a succeeding breath. The PSA system actuates a flow of the oxygen enriched gas via the gas outlet airline after the start of inhalation.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 : An oxygen concentrator system comprising:
 a pressure swing adsorption (PSA) system configured to execute a PSA cycle to produce an oxygen enriched gas;   a gas outlet airline configured to flow the oxygen enriched gas to a user of the oxygen concentrator;   a cannula configured to receive breathing gas from the user; and   a sensor in communication with the cannula and the PSA system, wherein the sensor is configured to sense a breathing cycle of the user,   wherein the breathing cycle includes an inhalation phase and an exhalation phase and the exhalation phase includes a non-useful period succeeded by a pre-inhalation period,   wherein each respective breath is immediately preceded in the breathing cycle by a preceding breath and is immediately succeeded in the breathing cycle by a succeeding breath, and   wherein the PSA system is configured to actuate a flow of the oxygen enriched gas via the gas outlet airline after the start of inhalation.   
     
     
         2 : The oxygen concentrator system according to  claim 1 , wherein the PSA cycle has a cycle time of less than 15 seconds. 
     
     
         3 : The oxygen concentrator system according to  claim 1 , wherein the PSA cycle has a cycle time of less than 10 seconds. 
     
     
         4 : The oxygen concentrator system according to  claim 1 , wherein the PSA cycle has a cycle time of less than 5 seconds. 
     
     
         5 : The oxygen concentrator system according to  claim 1 , wherein the PSA cycle has a cycle time equal to a minimum breath rate output of a pulse dose of the oxygen concentrator system. 
     
     
         6 : The oxygen concentrator system according to  claim 1 , wherein an amount of the oxygen enriched gas produced by the PSA system is adjusted based on detected breathing rates of the user. 
     
     
         7 : The oxygen concentrator system according to  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a pressure sensor. 
     
     
         8 : The oxygen concentrator system according to  claim 1 , wherein the oxygen concentrator further comprises a solenoid valve and oxygen accumulation tank. 
     
     
         9 : The oxygen concentrator system according to  claim 1 , wherein the oxygen concentrator system calculates average breath rates over time and adjusts an amount of oxygen produced based on the calculated average breath rates over time. 
     
     
         10 : The oxygen concentrator system according to  claim 1 , wherein the oxygen concentrator system predicts breathing rates and adjusts an amount of oxygen produced based on the predicted breathing rates. 
     
     
         11 : The oxygen concentrator system according to  claim 1 , wherein the oxygen concentrator system anticipates user inhalation based on inhalation and/or exhalation pressure measurements. 
     
     
         12 : The oxygen concentrator system according to  claim 1 , wherein the oxygen concentrator system comprises a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller to control pulse dose output from the oxygen concentrator system. 
     
     
         13 : The oxygen concentrator system according to  claim 1 , wherein the oxygen concentrator system is responsive to changes in user's environment or changes in user's oxygen requirements. 
     
     
         14 : The oxygen concentrator system according to  claim 1 , wherein the oxygen concentrator system further provides assisted ventilation. 
     
     
         15 : The oxygen concentrator system according to  claim 1 , wherein the oxygen concentrator adjusts the PSA cycle based on changes in input air compressor flow rate, oxygen output valve actuation, PSA phase duration, oxygen output flow rate, oxygen volume, timing of oxygen gas delivery, and/or oxygen waveform in response to user breathing or user environment. 
     
     
         16 : The oxygen concentrator system according to  claim 1 , wherein the molecular sieve bed comprises a dual-bed PSA system with alternating adsorption and desorption cycles to optimize oxygen purity and/or flow rate. 
     
     
         17 : The oxygen concentrator system according to  claim 1 , further comprising an electronic control system configured to dynamically adjust the compressor speed based on user breathing patterns. 
     
     
         18 : The oxygen concentrator system according to  claim 17 , wherein the electronic control system includes an algorithm that adapts oxygen delivery parameters based on sensor data and/or breathing cycle history. 
     
     
         19 : An oxygen concentrator system comprising:
 a pressure swing adsorption (PSA) system configured to execute a PSA cycle to produce an oxygen enriched gas;   a gas outlet configured to selectively flow the oxygen enriched gas to a user of the oxygen concentrator; and   a sensor in fluid communication with the gas outlet, wherein the sensor is configured to sense a breathing cycle of the user,   wherein the breathing cycle includes an inhalation phase and an exhalation phase, the inhalation phase includes a useful period and a dead space period, and the dead space period occurs between the useful period and the exhalation phase,   wherein each respective breath is immediately preceded in the breathing cycle by a preceding breath and is immediately succeeded in the breathing cycle by a succeeding breath, and   wherein the oxygen concentrator system is configured to actuate a flow of the pressurized oxygen via the gas outlet after the start of the inhalation phase.   
     
     
         20 : An oxygen concentrator system comprising:
 a pressure swing adsorption (PSA) system configured to perform a plurality of PSA phases including an adsorption phase and a desorption phase, wherein an oxygen enriched gas is produced during the adsorption phase and production of the oxygen enriched gas is ceased during the desorption phase;   a gas outlet configured to selectively flow the oxygen enriched gas to a user of the oxygen concentrator; and   a sensor in fluid communication with the gas outlet, wherein the sensor is configured to sense a breathing parameter of a breathing cycle of the user,   wherein each respective breath is immediately preceded in the breathing cycle by a preceding breath and is immediately succeeded in the breathing cycle by a succeeding breath, wherein the breathing cycle includes an inhalation phase and an exhalation phase and the exhalation phase includes a non-useful period and a pre-inhalation period, wherein the pre-inhalation period occurs between the non-useful period of the respective breath and the inhalation phase of the succeeding breath, and   wherein the oxygen concentrator system is configured to actuate a flow of the pressurized oxygen via the gas outlet after the start of the inhalation phase.